By William Moorman Jr. and John Ottaviani ( December 14, 2017, 11:52 AM EST) -- It has been a very exciting year for the marijuana industry in Massachusetts. A voter referendum in November 2016 approving the recreational use of marijuana culminated in legislation in July 2017. Various cities and towns are now determining whether to embrace the new economic development opportunities that are presented by the expansion of recreational marijuana in the commonwealth. Employees who use medical marijuana received protection from the courts. However, because the cultivation, use, sale and possession of marijuana still is a crime under federal law, and enforcement policies by the federal government are uncertain, investment in the industry remains risky....